Sibling Rivalry
by penpaninuSessh
Summary: Service is its own reward. The Cat Twins of Zaibach know this best. But must one twin be left out of a bond meant for three?


I myself am of a set of identical twins, so here's a POV of the cat sisters in Vision of Escaflowne. I decided to make the coin they flipped in the episode have abit of value to them, but forgive the relapse if I'm putting too much into it.

Disclaimer: Penpaninu does not claim to own Escaflowne, nor is making any money off this. I can only wish I can write as deep a story that means so much to me.

"Sibling Rivalry"

by penpaninu / yash

Silver and gold, gold and silver. We were rare, our pelts priceless to fathom. Mirror images of each other with just a difference in coloring to differentiate us to the world.

Master Folken called us lucky, which meant more than rare in our young hearts. We were his lucky charms, his guiding stars, and we worked hard to please him. Each time we saw the rare quirk of a smile upon his noble lips told us we had succeeded in making him happy.

We learned swordplay, we learned Guymelef piloting, we learned espionage and diplomacy, and other such niceties high servants of Master Folken could have the privilege to learn. The tutelage of the Zaibach Empire was indeed kind to its servants. Since we knew Master Folken loved its Emperor, we in turn learned to love its land for his sake.

Master Folken was the only kind part in our lives. And as we served him well through our young years, we learned to love him purely for the sake of love itself. Maybe we admired him, maybe we felt obliged to let him have whatever he would take for we were grateful to him, but we truly did love him.

We could not fathom his deep sorrow, his guilt or his past. We saw only the kind smile, the intelligent eyes and heard the deep pleasing words. He seemed relieved when as we grew older, we tried to advance our ways into other parts of his affections.

Master Folken was kind and did not use us. We were surprised he would refuse us, but as he settled back into his throne-like chair, each of us against his knees, he could only whisper that he would draw on our strength, not our innocence.

Such words were indeed confusing to my sister and I. But we resolved to serve our Master as best as he would have of us. The kidnapping of his own younger brother was passed to us and we carried our mission out with a high gusto of pride.

And then one day, he had asked for one of us to assist him in an experiment the Sorcerers called 'Destiny Alteration.' Sympathetic magic. Folken would stand in the spot of a man called Allen Schezar, one of us would play a maid called Kanzaki Hitomi. The famed Girl of the Mystic Moon, the young whelp who dared defied our Master Folken.

Eriya and I looked at each other and grinned identical smiles. "Don't worry, Master Folken. We'll guarantee you get the more lucky of us."

My sister produces a large iron coin. It was a prize of our travels and service, and when we had discovered it in a Zaibach raid, we felt giddy and lucky. It was our plunder and we valued our small claim on bounty meant for the Zaibach Emperor. My twin flipped the coin and slapped it to her wrist.

The crone on one side indicated I had lost. I angrily snatch the coin from midair as Eriya tosses it at me, and flounces to join Master Folken. He swept his cloak around her shoulders protectively and my heart jabbed with unprejudiced jealousy at his claim of favor.

The Sorcerers go about their business, fiddling with machinery, with scrolls, with incantations. My beloved Master stands upon a bridge, my golden sister before him. They clasp hands, a spotlight of destiny shining upon them. My heart surged with deep pride yet hurt. My twin would touch our Master for us, but she would have the deeper sensation of his touch for she was on the bridge and I was merely watching.

The experiment almost faltered when my sister felt my troubled heart through our close link. She held back from Folken and our Master whispered something close, something the rest of us could not hear. My sister's face reddened and those murmured words drew her to our Master's lips. Master Folken entwined my twin in his arms and kissed her with an apparent longing I felt from watching the whole affair.

The machines hummed and whirred in triumph, and the Sorcerers ran back and forth like frightened ants. The Emperor was pleased with the outcome. Eriya was let down from Master's arms and blushingly she joined me again.

I take my aggression from the day out against her in a spare room. We practiced with blunted short swords and agile leaps and bounces off the walls. Finally we come to a stalemate and we recline together on the tiled floor.

I jest about the warmth of Master Folken's lips and if I may sample them from my sister. Eriya frowns and makes to rebuke me when I curl protectively around my twin's voluptuous form. We are saddened suddenly, and when Eriya tells me of how dutiful a longed kiss with our Master was, we lay quietly holding hands.

"Still….if it weren't for him, we wouldn't be here," I argue gently. Eriya murmurs in agreement, and my hand tightens over hers as I remember how I tried to shield my twin from the hunters who searched for us.

We were hungry and scared, our skinny legs dirty beneath the tunics that stretched to knobby knees. Our hair was tangled and unkempt, but the poachers still wanted our pelts. To hear them talk, we would set up some lout for the rest of his miserable life!

I boiled with unfettered rage and fear. Yet all I could do was push my twin behind my scrawny form and try to look menacing.

I had jumped in front of my twin, but it was she who pulled us both in a daring leap off the cliff. Gut-wrenching fall to death turned to unseen embrace in angel's wings. That tall beautiful man had saved us and for our gratitude, we lashed out with hysterical fear and anger too large for our tiny hearts.

Folken is the only angel we know. He only took our bites with gentle scrutiny, pitying our bedraggled forms and bestowing importance and places at his side.

We owed everything to him, and when he came to us to ask we assist in another experiment he was chosen to head, we volunteered whole-heartedly.

Serving your savior was a form of penance, and it is its own reward even if Master Folken loved us or not.

Eriya grins at me and rubs thumb and forefinger together. I know she is asking for our iron coin to decide which twin will advance. I thud my elbow against her side and saunter past. We will both advance. Together as one as we were meant to.

We were lucky as a pair after all.

End

Like it hate it? Please review

Most sincerely yours penpaninu/yash 2/12/06


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